After beating around the bush for a while, Cameron finally got to the crux of his argument.

Are you a word wiz?

"Crux" is borrowed directly from Latin. What do you think the Latin word "crux" means?

A. thief

B. sidewalk

C. cross

D. top

We hope answer C crossed your mind. Back in ancient Rome, crosses were used for punishment, and the Latin word "crux" meant both "cross" and "torment." English speakers of the 18th century likened trying to solve a difficult puzzle to a painful punishment, and "crux" acquired the meaning of "an unsolvable puzzle or problem." Over time, "crux" also came to be used for a main point or problem that needed discussing. Eventually, its meaning was extended even further, and it came to refer to simply a main or central feature of something.